Time blocking sounds simple… but if you’ve ever sat down during your prep period with a plan and still ended the day feeling behind, you know it’s not always that straightforward.

In this episode, I’m walking you through a flexible, teacher-centered approach to scheduling your time. This isn’t about squeezing more into the day—it’s about protecting time for what matters and letting go of the guilt about what doesn’t.

I’ll share how to:

Allocate time for high, medium, and low-priority tasks (without spinning your wheels)

Match your work to your energy levels using deep vs. shallow tasks

Set realistic work hours and assign tasks to those blocks

Get better at estimating how long things actually take

Plan for interruptions and adjust when life throws off your schedule

If this feels like the kind of support you need right now, there are two ways to go deeper: Join me for the Unlocking Teacher Productivity cohort through RocketPD for a guided experience, or check out the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek if you prefer a self-paced, affordable option.

Both can help you create systems that are sustainable long-term.

Let’s figure out how to build a schedule that honors your time, energy, and values.

How can you meet the needs of every learner in your classroom while keeping your workload manageable? In this episode, Robert Barnett shares how self-paced learning can transform your teaching and create a more personalized, effective, and sustainable experience for both you and your students.

We dive into the Modern Classrooms approach, breaking it down into actionable steps that any teacher can take—whether you’re ready to fully embrace self-paced learning or just want to try one small change tomorrow. From recording simple instructional videos to using mastery checks, Rob shares what works, why it works, and how to adapt it for your students’ needs.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How to get started with self-paced learning by taking small, manageable steps.
• The three core components of a modern classroom lesson: warmups, instructional videos, and mastery-based assessments.
• Practical strategies for motivating students, including how to encourage those content with “the minimum” to push themselves further.
• How to use mastery checks as quick, actionable assessments that inform your next steps without creating a data overload.
• Ideas for creating collaborative group work that ensures all students are engaged and appropriately challenged.
• Tips for addressing chronic absenteeism and ensuring all students can succeed, no matter their attendance.
• How schools can support teachers in implementing self-paced learning by providing time, autonomy, and collaboration opportunities.
• Why relationships are at the heart of any successful approach to personalized learning.

Whether you’re looking for ways to individualize learning, reduce stress, or build stronger connections with your students, this episode is packed with inspiration and practical ideas you can use right away.

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

One of the most exhausting parts of teaching is the constant decision-making. You’re answering questions like:

Where do I turn this in?

Can I go to the bathroom?

What do I do when I’m done?

My pencil broke—what now?

Over and over. All day long.

You’re managing behavior, passing out materials, troubleshooting tech, resetting the room, redirecting energy, keeping everything afloat.

And underneath all of that is the belief—often unspoken but deeply ingrained—that YOU have to be the one holding it all together.

But what if that’s not true?

What if your students—yes, even the littlest ones and the disinterested teens—were capable of taking more ownership than you’ve been led to believe?

What if a well-run classroom doesn’t require your constant presence, attention, and redirection?

What if you could stop doing so many things your students could actually learn to do for themselves?

That’s what this week’s podcast episode is about.

It’s not a list of procedures. It’s not a call to tighten control. It’s an invitation to shift the way you think about classroom responsibility.

Here’s what I walk you through:

Why students want to take ownership—and what’s been getting in the way

How we unintentionally train them to be dependent on us

What it looks like to release control without lowering expectations

How to build routines and roles that don’t rely on reminders or perfection

I’m also sharing four practical pillars that prop up the self-running classroom so you know how to take action and empower your students to share the responsibility for daily routines. Listen in, and when you’re ready to go deeper, consider: 

The 40 Hour Teacher Workweek program is now open for enrollment. It gives you the tools and structure to design a classroom that runs smoothly—without sacrificing your nights and weekends. https://join.40htw.com/full-year

This October, Rocket PD is offering my live virtual training called Unlocking Teacher Productivity. It’s a practical, high-impact session to help you simplify systems and protect your time. https://rocketpd.com/cohorts/unlocking-teacher-productivity-with-angela-watson/

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

We often assume students should already know how to stay organized, manage their time, and start tasks independently—but these are skills that need to be taught, modeled, and practiced.  In this episode, I’m talking with Mitch Weathers, a former high school teacher and creator of Organized Binder, about how a consistent daily routine anchored by a physical binder can help students build the habits they need to succeed.

You’ll learn:

• Why organization isn’t a one-time fix, but a daily skill that must be practiced
• How predictable routines reduce cognitive load and help students feel safe and ready to learn
• How a physical binder—even in a digital classroom—can provide structure and support executive functioning
• What a table of contents can do for student ownership, memory, and task follow-through
• How teachers can implement this system with minimal prep and maximum impact

Whether your students lose work, struggle to start tasks, or seem overly dependent on your directions, this conversation is packed with practical, low-lift solutions you can start using right away.

Learn more at OrganizedBinder.com or reach out to Mitch at [email protected].

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

In this summer reflection episode, I’m sharing a small story—just a quiet moment at an airport breakfast counter—that brought me back to the kind of person I want to be. It’s a simple action, one that no one asked for or expected. But it reminded me that our small choices matter… especially now.

Because let’s be honest: it’s not always clear what the “right” choice is anymore. Social norms are shifting fast. Families have vastly different beliefs about what should be taught in school. Everyone’s following their own path, and as educators, we’re constantly navigating conflicting expectations. You can’t make everyone happy. And trying to please every person or reflect every worldview just leaves you feeling pulled in a dozen directions.

So how do you decide how to show up—when there’s no one-size-fits-all answer? For me, it comes back to personal integrity. To who I want to be, even when there’s no rulebook. This episode is an invitation to use this summer season to realign with your inner compass and reflect on what kind of world you want to help build—starting with the small, almost invisible choices you make every day.

We’ll reflect on:

Why integrity and empathy are more important than ever in a divided world

How to center your actions around who you want to be (not who you’re expected to be)

Questions to help you define your personal values and vision

Ways to leave things better than you found them, even in tiny, almost invisible ways

This isn’t about perfection. It’s about intention.

It’s about being the kind of person who shows up with clarity, even when no one’s watching. And it’s about using this summer to reconnect with the kind of world you want to help create.

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

“We have overprotected kids in the real world and underprotected them online.”

Jonathan Haidt believes we have bubble-wrapped childhood: cut back on recess, banned kids from walking to school alone, and filled every spare moment with structured, adult-led activities. But at the same time, we gave kids 24/7 access to social media, smartphones, and one-to-one devices—with very little guidance or boundaries.

And now, we’re seeing the results.

Rising anxiety. Fragmented attention. Lost confidence. Social disconnection.

This quote about overprotecting in the real world and underprotecting onloine hit me hard, because it puts into words what so many teachers have felt for years but couldn’t always articulate. If our kids seem less resilient, less focused, less ready to learn... maybe it’s not them. Maybe it’s the environment we’ve created.

The good news? We can change that. We ARE changing it.

More schools are rethinking tech. More parents are drawing tech boundaries. More teachers are advocating for what kids truly need. We can bring balance back.

Today’s guest is Jonathan Haidt—a social psychologist, professor at NYU’s Stern School of Business, and author of several influential books, including most recently, The Anxious Generation. You may have seen Jonathan in recent interviews talking about how smartphones and social media are impacting kids’ mental health. But I wanted to bring him on the show to go deeper—specifically from an educator’s point of view.

This conversation builds on some of the past episodes I’ve done around screen time, attention spans, and how tech is changing the way kids show up in the classroom. It’s a true back-and-forth conversation where we learn from each other, and I think it’s going to validate so much of what you’ve already sensed as a teacher. 

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

Later this summer, I'll share a different perspective from someone who sees personalized AI tutoring as the future of school, and I have to admit, I find that vision just as compelling as what Haidt has shared. Stay tuned!

I’m pulling back the curtain on how I use AI in my work with teachers as an instructional coach. I’ll show you how I collaborate with AI to brainstorm ideas, reflect on lesson design, and help teachers build scaffolds and supports that truly meet students where they are.

This is an honest, behind-the-scenes look at how educators are already partnering with AI in powerful and practical ways, as well as the limitations of these tools and what’s NOT working.

You’ll learn:

• What it means to treat AI as a reflective collaborator, not just a resource generator
• How tools like Diffit, Brisk Teaching, Insta-Lesson, and MagicStudent can support differentiation, feedback, and independent learning
• Prompts and workflows I use when coaching teachers to personalize tasks without creating extra work
• Strategies for using AI to scaffold multi-step directions, revise writing, and support executive functioning
• How to guide students in getting feedback from AI directly and build their independence

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

Grab the free AI prompt guide to try these strategies yourself.

Sign up for the free live training on June 10th @ 5pm ET.

Join the 40 Hour AI membership to get up-to-date trainings.

Bring me to your school for customized on-site or virtual PD.

Self-advocacy can feel like a challenge, especially if you’re conflict-avoidant, culturally conditioned to prioritize group harmony, or simply unsure how to speak up without fear of being labeled “difficult.” In this episode, we’ll explore how to advocate for yourself effectively while balancing cultural expectations, professional norms, and personal boundaries.

Neelu Kaur brings her unique expertise to the discussion. With a business degree and a masters in Social & Organizational Psychology along with her experience as a coach and master practitioner certified in NeuroLinguistic Programming, Yoga, and Ayurveda, Neelu has a really unique and comprehensive framework for tackling this topic.

You’ll learn:

• How cultural upbringing in collectivist vs. individualist societies influences our ability to speak up.
• Why advocating for yourself isn’t selfish—it’s a collective act that paves the way for others.
• The concept of being “a part of and apart from” group efforts to gain recognition for your contributions.
• How to shift from problem-framed to outcome-framed questions to open up possibilities.
• Practical tips for navigating conflict-avoidance and building confidence in difficult conversations.
• Why modeling self-advocacy as educators is essential for empowering students.
• How mindfulness, movement, and non-attachment can ground you before challenging situations.

Whether you’re negotiating for resources, managing peer dynamics, or striving to be heard or advance in a professional space, this episode provides the tools you need to find your voice and advocate for what matters most.

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.

Just popping in with a special update to catch you up on everything that’s happening behind the scenes. 

If you’ve been thinking about ways to streamline your work, learn new strategies, or just reconnect with your sense of purpose this summer and fall, I’ve got a lot of different options for you.

Listen in to hear:

• Insights from the latest survey I did on teachers’ thoughts about AI, and the resources I have to support you in artificial intelligence: https://courses.truthforteachers.com/bundles/40-hour-AI

• Details about the next cohort of the 40 Hour Teacher Workweek program coming up this summer: https://courses.truthforteachers.com/courses/40-hour-teacher-workweek-full-year-2025

• Information on how you can catch one of my live presentations at the ASCD and ISTE conferences this June: https://event.ascd.org/ASCD2025/

• The latest on a brand-new live PD experience I’m offering through RocketPD this fall:  https://rocketpd.com/cohorts/unlocking-teacher-productivity-with-angela-watson/

• Updates on the completion of the Finding Flow curriculum—including a few hints about what’s coming next: https://findingflowsolutions.com/

I'll be back with our regularly scheduled programming next Sunday. Have a great week!

PD is supposed to help teachers grow, but so often, it feels like a missed opportunity. In this episode of Truth for Teachers, I’m sharing five things teachers wish PD presenters understood—straight from your thoughtful comments and the experiences I've had attending and delivering professional development over the past 25 years.

If you’ve ever been frustrated by PD sessions that feel irrelevant, condescending, or like a waste of time, you’re not alone. This episode explores what makes PD meaningful for teachers and what presenters can do differently to better serve the educators in the room:

1. Treat us like professionals. Teachers don’t need to be managed like students—we want PD that respects our expertise and autonomy.
2. Give us practical tools we can use. We value strategies, materials, and ideas that are immediately applicable in our classrooms.
3. Stop reading the PowerPoint. We can read—we’d rather spend the time diving deeper into the content.
4. One-size-fits-all doesn’t work. PD should be differentiated to reflect the diverse needs of teachers based on grade level, subject area, and role.
5. Inspiration is key. Great PD leaves us motivated and energized—not overwhelmed or bogged down by irrelevant details.

This episode is a must-listen if you’ve ever felt like PD doesn’t meet your needs as a teacher. It’s also a great resource to share with PD presenters and decision-makers in your district who are designing professional learning experiences.

Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here.